Digitizing mass transit

Public transport organizations face significant challenges. Locally, regionally and nationally, the most popular routes are struggling to keep pace with demand. Infrastructure is often operating at the limits of capacity. Even minor component faults or unexpected asset downtime can have a huge and lasting ripple effect, with delays impacting trains, buses, metros and trams for many hours. However, in the future, mass transit players will have to accommodate growing numbers of passengers – within the existing road and rail network. Efficient, uninterrupted transportation services will be crucial to fulfilling an ever more complex mandate with limited resources.

Keeping commuters and travelers fully up to speed

At the same time, customer expectations are on the rise. In an age of real-time communications, they are looking for smart solutions – that enable seamlessly coordinated travel across multiple means of transportation. They want to shift with speed and ease from trains and buses to car-sharing services or rental bicycles. And they want to plan their trip online or with a smartphone app. Moreover, they expect more precise, timelier information on departure and arrival times of trains, trams and buses – plus instant notification of delays, with advice on alternative travel options. Transportation operators must respond with state-of-the-art intermodal management systems – that make commuting and other forms of travel a simple, reliable, flexible and attractive experience.

Powerful data analytics delivers real-time information

T-Systems has created a broad portfolio of smart solutions for the public transport industry – and these technologies are already being successfully deployed by rail and road service providers. For example, a local mass transit player currently leverages data analytics from T-Systems to capture data on all vehicle movements in real time – and to offer passengers precise departure and arrival times. The system continuously monitors the current traffic situation, and tracks the status and position of individual buses and trains, and compares this information with schedules. The result is a reliable forecast of the likely arrival time, with an accurate assessment of the knock-on effect of any delays on onward connections.

Accurate forecasting for the operators of transport networks

T-Systems’ data analytics platform is able to compute the impact of changes to train arrival times on downstream connections for an entire network with up to 40,000 trains – within just ten seconds. Passengers are able to verify actual departure up to 90 minutes before the scheduled time via their smartphones, with real-time updates.. The solution is suitable for any train or bus network. And by increasing automation of logistics processes, it helps boost available capacity, and improve service punctuality and reliability.

Cloud-based management of rail and road movements

A key mass transit provider in Germany’s Ruhr region employs a powerful cloud-based intermodal transport control system (ITCS) from T-Systems. This solution enables efficient management of the entire bus, train and tram network – and passengers have accurate, timely visibility across all forms of transport. The result is fewer delays, more reliable connections and greater user satisfaction. In addition, T-Systems offers multimodal ticketing systems across multiple sales channels – an efficient, user-friendly option that has been implemented for major transportation players, such as train operators in Austria and Switzerland.